The Vine - The first Ormsby
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They say instrument making is a calling, rather than a career. You're drawn to it. Without a doubt that is true. It is rarely a case of "when I grow up I want to be a guitar maker".
But that is how it was. I did grow up dreaming of making fine instruments. Working with the rock stars and musicians. It just took a while to get there... I started my working life as a carpenter. It was ok, but the fine woodworking was what I gravitated towards. I transferred across to a cabinet making apprenticeship, and finished my time, achieving the highest marks recorded in our state's history. An apprentice of the year nomination was offered, but the competition wasn't for me. I just wanted to make 'stuff'. I was lucky to be working with a great team, but I needed more. A period of several years as a designer saw me get bored and uninterested, even if the money was more attractive and the workspace a bit cleaner, compared to being back 'on the bench'. Guitars were my passion. If I wasn't practicing riffs and scales, I'd be sitting there staring at a guitar, trying to work out just how they work. I bored my work colleagues to tears with my constant claims that one day, I'll make a guitar. It would be amazing, I told them. And then one day, I decided I just had to do it; my new years resolution would be to build a guitar. It had to show off my skills as a woodworker, something a bit 'more' than a Les Paul or a Strat. It would have a carved single piece Quilt Maple body, and a carved back. The neck would be laminated, and deep set in. The fretboard would be inlaid with gold and silver Mother of Pearl. I'd bind the ebony fingerboard, and continue the inlay onto the headstock. Making that guitar was the best thing I could have done. It was life changing. I no longer looked at how I could succeed in life financially... I quit my job, and sold my house. Before long, as people began to learn of my first guitar, I had clients signed up for their own instruments. It was easier than they said it would be; "they" being other luthiers I'd chatted to. "You can't make a living doing this, it's impossible" was the general cry. I didn't care. Within 18 months of starting out full time, my waiting list had grown to two years. Within a few years, I'd been offered design roles, and later on, master luthier positions with some well known manufacturers. That lack of freedom didn't interest me, I'm not one for consulting with a board of directors. I look back at my body of work over the last ten years, and feel very proud. The feeling of finishing a guitar and plugging it in for the first time, or better still, watching one of my creations played live, is a feeling that will never wane. This is what I do. Perry Ormsby December 2014 |
meet Our team
Perry Ormsby
Roles: Head Luthier, Director
Age: 43
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join Ormsby Guitars: Right from the beginning, 2003-2004!
Favourite instrument we've built: Andy's Eugenics Machine (copper steampunk)
Favourite guitar to play: Rosso Corsa SX GTR
Amp I'd plug into first: Marshall 1968 Plexi
Preferred music: 80's hair bands!
Hobbies: Cars... doesn't matter if its muscle, or exotics... love 'em
Roles: Head Luthier, Director
Age: 43
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join Ormsby Guitars: Right from the beginning, 2003-2004!
Favourite instrument we've built: Andy's Eugenics Machine (copper steampunk)
Favourite guitar to play: Rosso Corsa SX GTR
Amp I'd plug into first: Marshall 1968 Plexi
Preferred music: 80's hair bands!
Hobbies: Cars... doesn't matter if its muscle, or exotics... love 'em
Jett 'Goofy' Waller
Roles: Assistant Luthier, Pickup Winder
Age: 22
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2013 (part time), 2014 (full time)
Favourite instrument we've built: Andy's Eugenics Machine (copper steampunk)
Favourite guitar to play: Buckeye Burl top Hypemachine (2015)
Amp I'd plug into first: Diezel Herbert
Preferred music: Death Metal
Hobbies: XBox, MMA, guitar
Roles: Assistant Luthier, Pickup Winder
Age: 22
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2013 (part time), 2014 (full time)
Favourite instrument we've built: Andy's Eugenics Machine (copper steampunk)
Favourite guitar to play: Buckeye Burl top Hypemachine (2015)
Amp I'd plug into first: Diezel Herbert
Preferred music: Death Metal
Hobbies: XBox, MMA, guitar
Siobhan Ormsby
Roles: Accounts
Age: 30
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2016
Favourite instrument we've built: Dance of Death I Hypemachine
Preferred music: Blues, Hard Rock
Hobbies: Baking, gym and our sons Ari and Max
Roles: Accounts
Age: 30
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2016
Favourite instrument we've built: Dance of Death I Hypemachine
Preferred music: Blues, Hard Rock
Hobbies: Baking, gym and our sons Ari and Max
Alex Basham
Roles: Assistant Luthier
Age: 27
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2017
Favourite instrument we've built: Goliath 'Beach Fade'
Favourite guitar to play: TX Eaton
Amp I'd plug into first: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
Preferred music: Prog
Hobbies: Playing and recording guitar, Age of Empires, drums
Roles: Assistant Luthier
Age: 27
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2017
Favourite instrument we've built: Goliath 'Beach Fade'
Favourite guitar to play: TX Eaton
Amp I'd plug into first: Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
Preferred music: Prog
Hobbies: Playing and recording guitar, Age of Empires, drums
Alberto 'Beto' Banger
Roles: Administration, Photography, Shipping Co-ordinator
Age: 35
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2019
Favourite instrument we've built: Coppertop Hypemachine
Favourite guitar to play: Hype Run 6 Beto Blue!
Amp I'd plug into first: Marshall
Preferred music: Prog
Hobbies: Surfing, Snowboarding, 4wd, Photography, Latin Dancing
Roles: Administration, Photography, Shipping Co-ordinator
Age: 35
Hometown: Perth, W. Australia
When did you join the Ormsby Guitars team: 2019
Favourite instrument we've built: Coppertop Hypemachine
Favourite guitar to play: Hype Run 6 Beto Blue!
Amp I'd plug into first: Marshall
Preferred music: Prog
Hobbies: Surfing, Snowboarding, 4wd, Photography, Latin Dancing
Brian Moore
Roles: Social Media Manager, American Guy
Age: 26
Hometown: Chicago, IL.
When did you Join the Ormsby team: 2019
Favorite instrument we've built: Vgypt.
Favorite guitar to play: 7 String Goliath.
Amp I’d plug into first: Fortin Cali.
Hobbies: Playing Guitar, discussing society, making people smile.
Preferred Music: Nu Metal
Roles: Social Media Manager, American Guy
Age: 26
Hometown: Chicago, IL.
When did you Join the Ormsby team: 2019
Favorite instrument we've built: Vgypt.
Favorite guitar to play: 7 String Goliath.
Amp I’d plug into first: Fortin Cali.
Hobbies: Playing Guitar, discussing society, making people smile.
Preferred Music: Nu Metal
Cherie Plenty
Roles: Accounts
Age: 34
Hometown: Perth
When did you Join the Ormsby team: 2019
Hobbies: Dirt bikes, Permaculture
Preferred Music: Ed Sheeran
Roles: Accounts
Age: 34
Hometown: Perth
When did you Join the Ormsby team: 2019
Hobbies: Dirt bikes, Permaculture
Preferred Music: Ed Sheeran
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Amy Rose
Roles: Marketing Age: 33 Hometown: Perth, W. Australia When did you Join the Ormsby team: 2020 Favourite instrument we've built: Dragonburst everything Hobbies: Photography, fashion, makeup, Halo 3 Preferred Music: Hardcore, punk, 2000's emo |